International symposium “50 Years of Plate Tectonics: Then, Now, and Beyond” on June 25-26, 2018

It took decades of research to accumulate the observations that led to the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics in the late 1960’s. Many contributions participated in its final acceptance — or “birth” — with seminal publications in (1) 1966 on the perfectly symmetrical distributions of magnetic anomalies on either side of the East-Pacific rise by Walter Pitman and James Heirtzler, (2) 1967 on the first test of rigid plate rotation in the Pacific by Dan McKenzie and Robert Parker, and (3) 1968 on the first global plate kinematic model by Xavier Le Pichon.

International symposia stimulated by these publications were organized to celebrate the 50th anniversary of plate tectonics, in 2016 at the Lamont-Doherty Observatory (USA), and in 2017 at the Geological Society of London. We contribute to this series with a third symposium in France in June 2018 that coincides with the 50th anniversary of Xavier Le Pichon’s 1968 landmark paper.

Scientific Committee 2018

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The aim of UnivEarthS is to combine the scientific expertise, technical know how, experience in space experiments, and human resources of three research institutes, all international leaders in their disciplinary field, in order to develop original interdisciplinary research projects. Their expertise includes Earth and environmental sciences (IPGP), planetary sciences (IPGP, AIM), high energy astrophysics (AIM, APC), cosmology and fundamental physics (APC).To know more...